<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Sky Full of Stars by RiseoftheBlossom</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27316390">A Sky Full of Stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiseoftheBlossom/pseuds/RiseoftheBlossom'>RiseoftheBlossom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Depression, F/M, Halloween, Happy Halloween, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Triggers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:14:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27316390</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiseoftheBlossom/pseuds/RiseoftheBlossom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>His sister often droned on about fate and deeper meanings behind the things they all went through and just as often, Gaara called her an idiot, because everything was merely coincidence. There was no higher being looking out for them or guiding them, just as there was no such thing as destiny. It was all chance and coincidences.</p><p>For the first time ever, he found himself actually entertaining the notion.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gaara/Haruno Sakura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Sky Full of Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He was exhausted. Then again, a family reunion always weighed heavily on his mind and increased the weight resting on his shoulders.</p><p>One handing the steering wheel, Gaara raised the other hand to his temple, rubbing it briefly. It was the dead of night and not a single car besides his own travelled the road that seemed never ending, which only served to increase his tiredness. He couldn’t even recall the last time he’d made a turn.</p><p>His family had insisted he stayed overnight and set out that morning, but Gaara hadn’t been able to stand the unbearable presence of that place – never could. So, once the dinner was officially over and people began retiring to bed, he said his goodbyes to the only two who mattered to him and left. They’d said they’d known all along he wouldn’t stay. After all, he hadn’t packed anything the day before and even insisted he’d set off an hour or so after them, so that they would have their own way home.</p><p>Finally reaching the bridge, Gaara let out a sigh of relief, head thumping against the headrest. It was the only part of the road with lighting, the rest of the way only illuminated from his headlights.</p><p>That relief turned to a lump of dread, tyres screeching in protest as Gaara slammed on his brakes the moment a pale figure was spotted with the aid of the light. He expected her to raise a hand to shield her eyes against his high beams, or at the very least look his way in response to the racket, but she didn’t so much as flinch. Her gaze was drawn to the icy waters below.</p><p>What the hell was she doing? Without shutting off the engine, Gaara shot out of his car, rushing as close as he dared possible without startling her.</p><p>After all, the last thing a person wanted to do was startle someone standing precariously on the ledge of a bridge.</p><p>With just a single, dainty hand resting on the beam, he knew the slightest mistake on his part would cause her to plunge to her death – a fate she wasn’t entirely set on, he knew. He knew from the tears streaming down her cheeks, from the uncertainty of her stance. Had she truly wanted to die, she wouldn’t have hesitated.</p><p>How was he supposed to go about talking her down, though? Without scaring her into falling? Yelling out to her wouldn’t help, although…</p><p>Although, considering how lost in her own thoughts she was, Gaara wondered whether sneaking up on her would work. Could he yank her off the ledge in time? Would he end up falling in with her while trying to save her life? As much as he wanted to help the woman, he didn’t want to die. Not anymore.</p><p>“Oi,” he called out, inwardly cursing himself for the usual roughness of his voice.</p><p>Luckily for him, it didn’t startle her, and he suspected she <em>had</em> heard his car and simply chose to ignore it.</p><p>How many had potentially ignored her plight? As uncomfortably lonely as that particular road could be at night, it wasn’t abandoned entirely, so Gaara knew that at some point, <em>somebody</em> would have driven by her. Had they tried to talk her down and given up or worse, overlooked her completely?</p><p>Pink hair blew ominously around her when the wind picked up, the sight of the long locks somewhat familiar in the back of his mind. Did they go to university together? Had he passed her in the street? Was it possible they had mutual friends who’d perhaps mentioned her? Despite how unusual the colouring was, he couldn’t place where he’d seen it before and it frustrated him, because if he recognised her, the familiarity could talk her down more easily.</p><p>Inhaling deeply at the risk he was about to take, Gaara stepped closer to the bridge only ten feet away from her, hands bracing themselves on the cold barriers. It somehow felt colder while he gazed down at the unsettled waves crashing below, like the gushing river could sense what was taking place and was trying to desperately to reach the suicidal woman, to yank her down before she changed her mind.</p><p>“Please,” she said quietly. There was a deep exhaustion beneath her words, the weight of her weariness blanketing Gaara uncomfortably. “Just go away.”</p><p>“No,” he argued without thinking. As much as he longed to look at her, he kept his eyes forward, focusing on the unpredictable water. He knew from previous experiences that opening up was much easier with a stranger, especially without making eye contact. Was it possible she felt the same? “Nobody should die alone.”</p><p>“You don’t even know me–”</p><p>“That may be so,” Gaara interjected. “But a friend once told me that we’re all struggling in one way or another, so why not show some compassion and support one another when we see someone struggling?”</p><p>The smile he just barely caught was filled with sorrow and regret, and he found himself enamoured by the vibrancy in her green eyes when she tipped her head back and inhaled deeply. The way the streetlight illuminated her features, the way it highlighted the vivid shade of her eyes, was almost haunting.</p><p>“I think I’ve heard that before,” came her soft whisper, so low he nearly missed it behind the crashing waves.</p><p>“So that’s why I’ll stand here and talk to you for as long as you need me to,” he insisted and daringly took a step closer, facing her. “Just…” Struggling to find the words, Gaara sighed. He’d never been great with words. He simply hoped he didn’t say anything that pushed her over the edge. “If you’re resolute in your decision to end your life, then where’s the harm in talking with me first?”</p><p>“I’m not coming down.”</p><p>“You don’t have to,” he assured her. “Just talk.”</p><p>Uneasily, she finally looked his way, her bloodshot eyes searching his features until she nodded hesitantly.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because…” Tears welled up in her eyes once more, and she looked down, swallowing hard. “I’m tired. Everything is just… It’s all too much and I’m tired of it.”</p><p>The broken cadence of her voice struck at him because it wasn’t all that long ago when <em>he’d</em> felt such exhaustion. Granted, he’d never given in to his suicidal thoughts, but that was merely because he was stronger than that – and he knew that wasn’t the case for everyone.</p><p>“I wake up every morning not wanting to be here anymore,” she whispered, voice wavering under the weight of her emotions. “Like I <em>shouldn’t</em> be here anymore.”</p><p>“But you are,” he responded at her pause, carefully watching the deep breath she took just in case it was out of preparation. Would he be able to reach her in time if she tried to jump?</p><p>His sister often droned on about fate and deeper meanings behind the things they all went through and just as often, Gaara called her an idiot, because everything was merely coincidence. There was no higher being looking out for them or guiding them, just as there was no such thing as destiny. It was all chance and coincidences.</p><p>For the first time ever, he found himself actually entertaining the notion.</p><p>She was a pretty girl even while crying, Gaara noted and once more, he was struck by a pang of familiarity because <em>that hair</em> was simply… He’d seen it before. He knew he had. He just couldn’t pinpoint where. The rest of her features were makeup free and pale, eyes contrasting brilliantly against her skin.</p><p>“Yeah, and failing miserably at life,” the girl cried suddenly.</p><p>“What makes you say that?”</p><p>Was that even the right thing to ask when she was stood on the edge of a bridge and ready to end her life? Gaara wasn’t sure, but he <em>knew</em> talking helped. His friends had proven that to him when he’d been lost, and they helped him find his way back to them all.</p><p>Her free hand lifted to her face, wiping away at the tears roughly and as much as he wanted to glance around, he never did. Instead, Gaara kept his eyes locked onto her every move, muscles tensed, mind racing. If she made a single, impulsive move, he would know, and he prayed to whoever was listening that he made it in time to save her life.</p><p>“I failed med school,” she whimpered. “I’ve lost friends and I’m pretty sure I’m single now, too.”</p><p>“I was in a similar position once too,” Gaara admitted without shame. How could he feel such a pointless emotion when she was in such a bad place? “And I thought about ending it all too.”</p><p>Those teary green eyes glanced his way. “What stopped you?”</p><p>“I made a new friend. He guided me back to the light.”</p><p>“The light,” she repeated quietly, then smiled.</p><p>Had he gotten through to her? Would she come down if he asked? Did he need to keep talking?</p><p>“Why med school?”</p><p>Eyes fluttering, she looked to him helplessly, the raw emotion shooting straight through him as Gaara saw himself in her position. It felt as though he was the one who was standing on the ledge, the tips of his toes just over it, parallel to the waters eager to make him disappear. Breath leaving him harshly when a sickening sensation similar to seasickness overwhelmed him, his grip on the bridge tightened significantly.</p><p>“I wanted to help people,” came her whispered response.</p><p>“You still could,” he asserted thickly.</p><p>The reminder of his own past feelings and suicidal ideation sent a shudder of dread down his spine, like the adrenaline he’d experienced upon first seeing her was flushed out of his system by the depression dousing the air around them.</p><p>“Like <em>this?</em> How could I possibly help others when I can’t even help myself?”</p><p>What did he even say to that? How could he respond to that positively when he himself possessed similar thoughts?</p><p>“Depending on the area you’re studying under, you could gain a better understanding of what a person is going through.”</p><p>“Y-You think?”</p><p>Was he getting through to her? Grasping at the short, flimsy straw, he took another step closer, assessing the tension in her legs carefully until he noticed it fading away. It was only when her muscles relaxed that she looked his way, brows puckering prettily and unknowingly sending his heart into his throat. Would she jump? Would she allow him to pull her to safety?</p><p>“Gaara,” he introduced himself belatedly.</p><p>“S…” She swallowed hard. “S-Sakura.”</p><p>Gods, she was shivering. Slowly closing the distance entirely, Gaara held his hand out to Sakura, eyes searching hers imploringly, waiting with an unsettled stomach until she hesitantly accepted the hand. And the moment she was jumping down to safety, he couldn’t help but guide Sakura further away from the edge with a firm grip, allowing her to sit on the hood of his car.</p><p>The tremors were growing steadily worse, and he wondered if it was the shock setting in, especially when the tears started, streaming down her cheeks in thick streaks.</p><p>“I-I just…” Sakura hiccupped, hands covering her face when she couldn’t hold back the powerful sob. “Gods, I… I was gonna…”</p><p>He was way out of his comfort zone and couldn’t decide on what he was supposed to do with himself, or her in that moment. There was every chance that she was scared out of trying again, however, it was twice as likely that she only climbed down to save an innocent bystander the trauma of watching someone kill themselves.</p><p>Driving her to the nearest psych ward seemed to be his best bet, but given the fact he didn’t know her, how was he to know it was best for her?</p><p>“Thank you,” she told him hurriedly and he was once more stunned by her vivid eyes. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much!”</p><p>Maybe it was the first suspicion, then. Everything about the girl screamed shock and fear, like she truly couldn’t believe how close she came to making such a tragic decision.</p><p>“Are you from Konoha?” asked Gaara. It was after her nod that he said, “Come on. I’ll give you a lift back into town – I’m headed that way anyway.”</p><p>“I-”</p><p>Sakura was interrupted by the flashing of headlights as a car turned towards them, and Gaara looked over his shoulder, squinting at the suddenly bright beams. Noticing it slowing to a crawl, he tried to get a read of it – the make, the registration, foolishly attempting to see through the windscreen like it would even be possible. It wasn’t until it pulled up beside his as it remained running in the middle of the road that Gaara finally recognised the horrifically coloured car, the sight making his brows raise fractionally.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Gaara assured Sakura when she fell silent, however as he turned to face her, his stomach plummeted at the empty space beside him and he immediately looked straight to the bridge, only to find it empty there, too.</p><p>Surely, he would have heard her run? Or plummet to her death? How the hell could he have taken his eyes off her knowing the state of her mind?</p><p>“Yo, Gaara,” came the gruff yet surprised voice of his friend. The blond was hesitant as he leaned out of his car, one arm coming to rest on the roof and the other on the door. “What’re you doing out here?”</p><p>“I…”</p><p>The words died on his tongue, because he was much too horrified with himself, the guilt rushing through him damn near overwhelming – and he wasn’t one to succumb to such sentimentality. Not since meeting the friend now leaving his car worriedly, a bouquet of flowers in hand.</p><p>
  <em> Wait… </em>
</p><p>That hair, the name…</p><p>Bloodshot blue eyes drifted to the bridge before darting back to his, like he struggled immensely with simply looking in that direction. And Gaara couldn’t blame him, because if he was remembering it correctly, then that bridge was… It was…</p><p>He felt sick.</p><p>Gaara could remember clearly now, though couldn’t understand why none of it had come to mind when in her presence. The missing posters, the frantic friends and family who assumed the worst. Finding her car not far from where they were now, hidden in the brush and discovering that single, heartfelt note that Sakura had no doubt hoped would bring her loved ones closure.</p><p>Why had he seen her? What if it hadn’t been a year too late? Would she have still gotten down? Would she still be alive?</p><p>“Did you know Sakura-chan too?” he asked unsurely. Numbly, Gaara shook his head, unable to shake the intense emotions weighing down on him, because <em>what if?</em> “It’s the first anniversary of her…”</p><p>Of when she killed herself.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>